Please Remember
by Marvelous.Mirana.of.Marmoreal
Summary: Mirana POV. Why did she leave him? Why didn't she see? And most importantly...is this she Alice or Mirana?


**This came to me randomly while I was listening to the song I'd Lie by Taylor Swift and Untitled by Simple Plan…exactly after Alice leaves at the end of the movie. Flashbacks are before Horevendush Day.**

Alice disappeared into a cloud of grey smoke, and Hatter became I new person. I could swear the light in his eyes faded. Everyone behind me dispersed and went home to tell their families of our victory. I approached him slowly, not exactly sure if he was Sane or not. He smiled slightly at me then glanced nervously around. It's been years since we could even be considered acquaintances, but I was going to give this a shot. Before I could say a word, he started talking to me like we were old friends.

"Mirana…I swear- I will never fall in love again," he said, running his fingers through his orange hair. I laughed- hoping he was wrong- but my heart was falling to pieces inside my chest. I don't think he even thought of the possibility that we could be together. I know everything about him. I care about him. And yet, he is not mine.

"_Tarrant? Where are you going?"_

"_I need to see Tarra! I'll be back in a few moments. Have some tea with Mother," he suggested. I stopped following him and walked back to his mother's tea shop. Tarra was his sister and she was a very pretty girl. His mother was so kind she made me look threatening._

"_Ahhhh, Mirana! Would you like dome tea, love?" I nodded shyly and took a seat at the closest table. She brought me a cup of tea- with sugar and milk of course- and sat beside me. She seemed to study my face for a moment then interrogated me._

"_Something's on your mind, sweety. Come, tell me what's wrong." I bit my lip and spilled my thoughts._

"_Well…Tarrant is my best friend and all, but when I stand near him or our skin brushes…my heart…my heart rate picks up. Is this normal?" She laughed heartily at my question and I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks._

"_Love, you have a crush on our dear Tarrant! In order to get a Hightopp to be yours, though, you need to know everything about him." I thought back through the past few years._

"_I think I do…"_

"_Believe me, love, he's a bit more complicated than you think."_

Mother Hightopp's words never rang truer than right now. As I stood, staring at him, I noticed he was crying like anyone else would if their love had left them. I crossed the small distance that separated us and put a palm to his cheek, looking in his eyes sympathetically.

"Tarrant- It's okay to cry." And those five words seemed to open the flood gates. He was still smiling, but his eyes flooded with tears. His smile did eventually break, and his shoulders shook with hard sobs. He dropped his head- not dropping his hat, mind you- and I took him in my arms. I didn't care that he was getting my dress and hair wet, no. I did care that he was broken. Alice broke him completely. He would never go mad again, I was sure of it.

"Will- will she…come...back?" he asked me, innocent as a child. I felt my own tears building up as I realized that I couldn't lie to him.

"I don't know, Tarrant."

"It hurts, Mirana…I can't stand it. How could this happen to me? I know I've made my mistakes," he told me. I listened quietly until he said something that scared the Gollymoggers out of me. "I'm sick of this life," he whispered.

"Tarrant Hightopp! Don't say something like that again!" I felt bad for yelling at him, but he deserved it.

"I need her back, Mirana." I pulled back and looked him straight in the eyes. They were dark blue. I tried desperately to hang on to the time back when nothing mattered…

"_Come on! We're going to miss it!" He took my hand and ran faster than before. I picked up my skirts and let myself be led. We ended up by the Babbling Brook. I got a bit nervous as he took a gulp of the water and gestured for me to have some too. I took as much as he did, knowing we'd say equally stupid things._

"_You're crazy!"_

"_I love the color green!"_

"_White's better!" And from there, they got worse._

"_I don't like your dress!" he exclaimed  
_

"_You made it, madman," I retorted._

"_I love you!" He covered up his mouth and I replied simply._

"_I wanted you to say that…"_

"_But…but..."_

"_Oh, hush Tarrant. No one knows." He smiled and took my hand, this time just to hold it, and scooted closer to me._

"Do you remember that day at the Babbling Brook? Or the time you left me with your mother to find Tarra?" His face fell as I said her name. "Do you want to leave those memories behind by killing yourself?" He looked down at the ground, ashamed.

"Those days are long gone, Mirana."

"Maybe…but that doesn't mean what I said on those days isn't true anymore," I whispered. I tilted his chin up and stared at every inch of his face. "I still love you, dear. But if you love that Alice girl, I understand. It's been a long time." I smiled sadly. I'd never let anyone see that I still loved him. Nobody… I was surprised as he kissed me quick, on the cheek, and blushed. I pinched his arm lightly, careful not to hurt him.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"For scaring me and hinting at suicide!" Only then did I kiss him full on the lips. "That's for everything else." It was my turn to blush now. I turned to run away but was stopped as he gripped my arm. He spun me around into a hug.

"I love you, Mirana. Alice was just a friend compared to you," he whispered, digging his face into my hair. I smiled to myself and remembered that I knew everything about him.

1) He never lets anyone see him cry,

2) He'd never tell you, but he plays guitar,

3) His sister is beautiful,

4) His mother was the kindest woman in Underland,

5) He loves Alice,

6) He was strong enough to put her behind,

7) He has color-changing eyes,

8) His hat is envied by cats everywhere,

9) He remembered me, and finally

10) He loves me.


End file.
